AT 4.21 on the fourth day of an amazing Test match, Graeme Smith had a brainwave - by no means his first of the contest.

His counterpart had reached 99 and needed one miserly single to record his second hundred of a compelling confrontation. It had been a defiant, skilful, adroit hand from a man standing resolute against the times. But he had spent 40 minutes negotiating the 90s and suddenly seemed vulnerable. It was hardly surprising. He had a lot on his plate.

Sensing anxiety, Smith stopped proceedings and redeployed his troops. Acting on his hunch, he moved himself to short cover, thereby setting the same trap that had been sprung on Matthew Hayden. His reasoning was clear.

Already several batsmen had mistimed off-side forces. Besides the Queenslander, Michael Clarke had miscued a back-foot shot to extra cover. Perhaps he could coax another error from a pressing opponent. It was exactly the sort of shaft Ponting himself has been slow to recognise.

Ponting surveyed the field change in his unemotional way, took guard and prepared to face the next missile from Morne Morkel, the tallest member of an incisive pace quartet. Morkel hurled down another delivery wide of the sticks. Noticing that the ball was pitched up, Ponting approached it with the intention of collecting the missing notch.

He had been driving superbly and had no reason to sense danger. But the ball had been held back a fraction and, too late, the accomplished Australian checked his stroke.

Unfortunately, his grip on the bat loosened and the ball headed unerringly towards his opposite number. Smith grabbed the catch in his bucket hands, threw the ball skywards and celebrated as gleeful teammates mobbed him. It had taken a superb piece of captaincy to bring a majestic innings to an end. And in that moment came a shift in the balance of power.

Throughout the Australian innings, Smith remained a step ahead of the action. Not that every intervention was blessed with immediate results, but he kept a tight grip on the match. Sometimes he kept a bowler going longer than anticipated and was rewarded as wickets fell towards the end of their spells.

Finding that Dale Steyn was swinging the ball at pace, he gave him a long stint and several slips. Observing that Jacques Kallis was fading the ball into the batsmen, he packed the mid-wicket region.

Throughout his field placements were thoughtful, especially around the bat. A man was put at silly mid-off for Ponting and removed for Clarke. Spin was tried as soon as Brett Lee arrived, owing to his habit of jabbing at dropping deliveries. Even the positioning of the short cover for Hayden was spot on.

At the start of the innings the visiting captain placed his man near the bowler's stumps but then he shifted him wider.

Hayden promptly drove without due care and attention. Of course, the dismissal relied on the co-operation of the batsman but Smith had acted on his thought. He felt the pulse of the match, knew when to attack, and how. Suffice it to say about the veteran batsman that he should have known better. Suddenly, Australia have a hundred headaches and the visiting team none at all.

Of course, the touring tactician had his complete artillery at his disposal. Led by the dynamic Steyn, his attack also contains a trio of handy support acts. Nor did his players let him down. Alas, Ponting cannot say the same about his floundering collection. Extraordinary, too, how luck smiles upon the strong and scowls upon the struggling, a point Australia's opponents have been making for 15 years.

Now Smith must finish the job that he began so commendably in Perth. Arriving in good heart and humour, bringing an optimistic team containing several players unscarred by past defeats and enough impressive and respected coloured cricketers to stop political tongues wagging, he has kept his side moving forwards. Nor has he approached his task with the sort of missionary zeal detected in predecessors.

Instead, he has set out to win the series and enjoy the trip, a combination that has helped his players to relax and retain confidence. As was apparent on this fourth day, he has also improved markedly as a tactician.

Contrastingly, Ponting left the field with much on his mind. He has batted brilliantly but may end up exhausted and empty-handed. Within a few hours, Australia may have lost a series and the right to be regarded as the best team in the world. South Africa have played terrific cricket. Australia have been exposed.

Whereas most of Smith's players are at the peak of their powers, the hosts are ripe for change, in the team and beyond.

1230399131157-smh.com.auhttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/smiths-brain-a-match-for-brawn/2008/12/29/1230399131157.htmlsmh.com.auSydney Morning Herald2008-12-30Smith's brain a match for brawnPeter RoebuckSportCrickethttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/give-us-a-smile-ricky-it-could-rain-today/2008/12/29/1230399131172.htmlGive us a smile Ricky, it could rain todaytext/html-documenthttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/grim-day-for-punters-club/2008/12/29/1230399096430.htmlGrim day for Punter's clubtext/html-documenthttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/no-scg-guarantee-for-hayden/2008/12/29/1230399131166.htmlNo SCG guarantee for Haydentext/html-documenthttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/law-of-averages-reveals-true-depth-of-australias-talent-pool/2008/12/29/1230399131160.htmlLaw of averages reveals true depth of Australia's talent pooltext/html-documenthttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/steyns-10-leaves-an-indelible-mark/2008/12/29/1230399131163.htmlSteyn's 10 leaves an indelible marktext/html-documenthttp://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/haddin-keeps-em-flying-high/2008/12/29/1230399131169.htmlHaddin keeps 'em flying hightext/html-documenthttp://blogs.smh.com.au/sport/archives/2008/12/where_has_it_all_gone_wrong.htmlWhere did it all go wrong?text/html-documenthttp://blogs.smh.com.au/sport/archives/2008/12/where_has_it_all_gone_wrong.htmlWhere did it all go wrong?text/html-documenthttp://blogs.smh.com.au/sport/archives/2008/12/where_has_it_all_gone_wrong.htmlWhere did it all go wrong?text/html-document